musings about Washington, DC, and anywhere, and anything else (politics, food, the environment...)

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Priorities, priorities...

Having to deal with the health-industrial complex again yesterday, by having to take a relative in for testing, meant being greeted at the door of the clinic by a lady in a surgical mask and pushing hand sanitizer. Scary! She was reasonable enough after I consented to a bit of gel; I wasn't against the stuff, I told her, but wondered why this same health provider doesn't provide hot drinks on all floors of said clinic, since it's known that hot drinks also help fight cold and flu (and there are vending machines on every floor selling cold drinks and snacks; why not one that sells hot chocolate, tea, and coffee), particularly since that building is kept quite chilly. She said that she'd mention the suggestion to her supervisors. I'll believe it when I see it.

I don't get these health care providers--not selling something that could keep people from getting ill, when they sell so many other things. I just don't get it.

* * *

A few weeks back, when I felt not the flu but the common cold trying to get a hold of me, in addition to getting additional rest, more hot drinks, and the like, I also took the tasty cold and flu tonic remedy Sambucus (the Nature's Way brand version of Sambucol). After a few days, it stopped my burgeoning cold in its tracks, as I didn't become full-blown congested. After four days, the cold was stopped cold, and I was never so congested that I couldn't sleep at night. Unfortunately, it's a bit pricey, but unlike other cold and flu medications, it doesn't make you drowsy, and tastes good. (No, it's not related to the liqueur sambuca, which I can't stand because it has a licorice flavor; this syrup is raspberry flavored.)

Thus, I'm trying to keep this sweet elixir in stock, at least through the end of the month when H1N1 vaccine becomes available. Maybe past then, because the common cold is bad enough.